3D Shapes

Polydron Activities

Platonic Solids

Archimedean Solids

Click on the page to print it.

Polydron Frameworks Activities

Polydron is a very popular material for working with both 3D and 2D shape. Here is a booklet of 14 pages of activities, using Polydron Frameworks. The booklet includes teaching notes and spans a wide range of mathematical ideas.

Click the picture to see the whole Polydron booklet.

If you are connected to the Internet, you can go to Polydron's web site by clicking here.

Platonic Solids

This a page showing the 5 Platonic Solids and the polygons needed to make them. Although in colour, the page will print well in black and white.

The Platonic Solids are each made from just one sort of polygon. This table tells you the main properties. In particular, it provides important information for those trying to construct the shapes - focus on the shapes which meet at each vertex or corner.

Nets of some of these solids can be found by clicking here.

Click on the page to see all these solids.

Archimedean Solids

This activity gives you help with making some of the thirteen Archimedean Solids. While these solids do not figure in the National Curriculum, they are beautiful and children love making them.

There is a page of help, together with a picture of all 13 solids, followed by 6 pages showing a coloured picture of each of the solids which can be made with Polydron, or a similar construction material.

Although in colour, the pages will print well in black and white. The Archimedean Solids are made from more than one sort of polygon. When trying to construct these solids, focus on the shapes which meet at each vertex or corner.